The incarcerated population at California Men’s Colony (CMC) gathered basic personal hygiene items to donate to the homeless. They also facilitated an encounter with mental health professionals.
In January, Jose Orozco spearheaded the effort. While he may be incarcerated at CMC, that didn’t stop him from trying to help people in the community.
The hygiene drive, sponsored by Sgt. J. Streeper, resulted in hundreds of items being collected to benefit the homeless population in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County.
CMC Community Resource Manager Mike Flores took the donations to Mark Lamore, director of the Homeless Services Programs with with SLO’s Transitions Mental Health Association.
Lamore said the donations will be taken into the hidden encampments throughout SLO County. According to Lamore, the act of goodwill opens doors between mental health staff and the homeless population.
Face-to-face contact with the homeless population gives Lamore and mental health staff an opportunity to offer services to those suffering from mental illness.
Learn more about the mental health association.
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